[Reflection] Regarding the Carp game on May 9th

Good morning.
I would like to reflect on my pitching appearance in the Carp game held at Nagaragawa Stadium.
I wrote most of this text on the bus ride back from Nagaragawa Stadium to Nagoya.
I ran out of time while eating my bento and reviewing the game footage, so I ended up writing the rest this morning.

The difference between home stadiums and regional stadiums

Even though it was a home game, it was held at a regional stadium, so how I spent my time was different from usual.

Usually (for home games at Vantelin Dome), the flow is practice, meetings, warm-ups before the game, and then the game itself.
Yesterday, the flow was to have a meeting at Vantelin Dome before departure, take the bus to Nagaragawa Stadium, and then prepare for the game.

For training and exercises that I would normally do in an indoor training room, I had to start by finding a place to do them.
There are quite a few players who hate that, but I'm the type who enjoys it for what it is.

I spend my days with the theme of doing my best for that day, so even if the environment changes and what I have to do changes, I try not to change my mindset.

I want to continue to maintain the attitude of fighting with what is around me and what I have on hand in my current environment.

8 hits in 4 innings

The game started with a hit by the leadoff batter, Kikuchi-san, and by the 4th inning, I had given up 8 hits.
It wasn't just that I gave up hits every inning until the 4th, I gave up 2 hits every inning... I even gave up a hit to Tokoda-kun, and it felt like I was getting hammered to the point where it was a mystery that I hadn't given up any runs.
I was thinking, 'I'm basically just a batting practice pitcher now.'

In the 1st and 3rd innings, there were runners on 1st and 3rd with one out, but at those times, I felt like I had to accept that one run might be inevitable, so I focused on getting the batter in front of me out.
It was just a coincidence, or I was helped by Tanke-san's good defense, and I was able to keep it at zero.

It felt more like it was just a coincidence rather than me enduring.
I couldn't create a rhythm from my defense, and every time I came off the mound, I felt frustrated.

I wanted to pitch like their pitcher, Tokoda-kun.
It was textbook pitching, and including his batting, it's frustrating, but yesterday was a complete defeat.
I want to learn from his good points and become a better pitcher myself.

Where to focus

After the game yesterday, I was interviewed by reporters, but the frustration of losing the game and the frustration of not being able to create a rhythm occupied my mind, and I ended up answering in a way that just vented that frustration.

Frustration and a sense of crisis are major driving forces for me right now, and I intend to always keep those feelings.
However, I want to remain calm when reflecting on things to move forward.

Yesterday's game, after my pitching appearance ended, the frustrations that remained with me were as follows:

• I created trouble almost every inning and made the defensive rhythm bad

• I allowed a hit to the pitcher

• I couldn't get a hit when there was a chance

• It felt like I was barely hanging on by the 6th inning

However, by having people around me speak to me, I was able to notice the following things as well.

• But, I held them scoreless

• But, I pitched through 112 pitches

• But, I completed the innings

• But, I had 7 strikeouts (which is a lot for me)

• But, I had no walks

These were all perspectives that hadn't crossed my mind.
The impression changed completely depending on where I focused.

In the end, there is only one set of facts, so it is up to the individual where to focus and how to interpret them.
Interpretations are almost infinite.

I want to use these kinds of reflections to improve my future self, while considering the balance between positive and negative interpretations.
Interpretations are about the past, and the past is nothing more than material.
I want to live this present moment to the fullest for the sake of the future.

Bonus: Nothing in particular...

This week, there wasn't really anything I could call a bonus.
I guess the only thing was watching Pokémon and thinking, 'Fuecoco is so cute after all' haha.

I'm also playing through the Ace Attorney series I hadn't finished yet, but since it's currently in progress, I can't really talk about it...

It would be more interesting if I had something to write about on Twitter or in the bonus sections of these notes.
I'll write about it again if I have something to share.

I feel the happiness of being able to be that absorbed in baseball every day.
Starting today, I will do my best again.
Thank you for reading until the end.

The eye-catching image was borrowed from a tweet by Mr. Osawa, a Tokai Radio announcer and my senior from university.